When a loved one passes away, you may find you inherit several pieces of jewelry. This jewelry may be passed down several generations. It may also be a collection of jewelry that was left to your mother or father at some point. When you go through the jewelry, you may find broken or mismatched pieces. You may also find pieces you no longer want. When this happens you can discuss selling the jewelry to an estate jewelry buying service. Here is what you should know if you choose this option. 

Assessing the Jewelry

The first thing you may be asked is to bring in the jewelry to the estate service. The jeweler will begin to assess the different pieces of jewelry to determine their value. The first step in this process is determining how much gold or silver is in the jewelry, if the gold or silver is plated, and if it is pure how much it weighs. All of this plays into how much the different pieces of jewelry are actually worth. It can also give you a starting point for what you may receive if you sell. 

Rarity

The age of the jewelry may or may not determine value. For example, if the piece of jewelry is over 100 years old, but it was a common piece, it may not be as valuable as jewelry made in a limited edition by a specific designer. The estate jewelry service will assess the type, style, and even brand mark of the jewelry. This will help them determine when it was made, if it is rare, and if collectors are seeking out the piece.

Separate Pieces of the Same Jewelry

In some cases, the stone may be worth more than the setting itself. You may also have cases when the setting of the jewelry is valuable, but the stone is an imitation stone. When this happens the estate buyer may choose to remove the stone from the setting, allowing you to keep the opposite part. For example, if the stone is worth more than the setting, they may remove the stone and give you back the setting or vice versa. This allows you to have the stone reset into a different piece or to have the setting melted down for additional funds. 

When you are ready to sell the jewelry, make sure to keep an inventory of what you are selling along with a description or picture if possible. This will ensure you are getting a clear sale on each item. You can match the paperwork you have to the receipt from the estate jewelry service and keep it for your records. If you have questions regarding the sale or with aspects of the sale, your estate jeweler will be able to answer those questions and give better insight into the process.